Mischief Managed (Dramione)
by misscosette08
Summary: Draco Malfoy jumped at the noise an owl knocking on his window made. He opened the window, took the piece of paper. He read it once, than twice but aloud this time to let the words sink in. 'Your suspect struck again. Please come fast to your office. It's Granger. - Zabini. ' / short story, also published on wattpad
1. Day 00

Day 00.

Draco fell heavily on his sofa. As usual, his flat remained silent and came to life only when he dared to move. In the fireplace, blue flames were tainting everything in the room, from the walls to the furniture. The color soothed him down.

He closed his eyes, sighing as he rubbed his temples with his fingers. He had a terrible – scratch that – painfully endless day. As a trained and experiences auror, he was used to it. But that particular case was awful. Even though he possessed one of the most brilliant minds within the department – after Granger, that is – this case remained comparable to a puzzle.

Speaking of that witch, he had an appointment with her the following day, something to do with similarities between their cases, or so she mentioned.

The young man had been investigating on a serial kidnapper double with killing tendencies. Yet the criminal had a particular pattern. He kidnapped young women, aged between 18 and 23, who were mostly attractive and with similar traits. They all had dark hair and brown eyes, their frames were petite and fragile. He didn't seem to make the difference between muggles and wizards. After taking these victims away, he used the imperio curse to force them into non-consenting sex relationships. He kept them into his captivity for 28 days, crucioed them the last 7 of them – for his own entertainment – and then he would kill them with the last remaining Unforgivable curse.

The three forbidden curses were used as a combination, always. As Draco rewinded his day in his head, the blue light of the fire seemed to glow brighter. Out of curiosity, he opened his eyes. Floating in the middle of the living room was a weak patronus, barely glimmering and not defined enough to recognized the animal.

''H-Help!''

The word echoed in the empty air and hurt Draco as he was hurt by a spell. He jumped at the noise an owl knocking on his window made. He opened the window, took the piece of paper. He read it once, than twice but aloud this time to let the words sink in.

''Your suspect stroke again. Please come fast to your office.

It's Granger.

\- Zabini. ''

Cursing under his breath, Draco grabbed his coat and his wand, and flood to his office. Potter, Weasley and Zabini were already waiting for him. Weasley was sat in the corner of the room, Potter was pacing and Zabini was nonchalantly looking through the large window. As soon he stepped in, the two members of the Golden Trio directed their attention on the blond man. Before could speak, Draco raised his hand to keep them quiet.

''When did it happen?''

He silently enchanted a quill and a roll of parchment to take notes while Potter and Weasley were speaking. Floating close to the man, as if it needed to hear them speaking with attention, the quill began to move.

''We know nothing Malfoy,'' Started the Weasel. ''Harry and I left yesterday around 8, she was still working.''

Typical Granger, thought Draco as he brows knitted together. He took off his coat and sat lazily on his chair as he watched the two men display the clues. Still skeptical about the little few he yet had, Draco sighed, his eyes closing briefly.

''Lads,'' he whispered in a hurt hush,'' We've got 21 days before Crucio, 28 before death. Pray Merlin we will find her sooner than that.''

Potter's eyes glimmered sadly and Weasley sat back, his face hidden by his large freckled hands. He started to sob nut cold-hearted, Draco continued to speak as his sidekick, Zabini, was now awkwardly patting the redheaded wizard.

''Potter, I need access to her flat, her office, well – everything that belonged to her. Weasley, I want the files she was working on. Zabini, I want a detailed report of her last 72 hours of freedom, no white gloves. Do what you have to do. Potter, Weasley, if anything comes back to you, even the slightest details, contact me. I need to know the mind of Hermione as if I were one of you two. This may be our only chance to catch that psychopath. ''

''Malfoy,'' interrupted Harry,'' How many girls have you saved from him yet?'' He questioned timidly. Draco's eyes darkened at the question.

''None, Potter. ''

In the corner of the room, the sobs grew louder.

Who would've thought the Weasel was such a sentimental lad?

 ** _XX_**

Hours after he had given his orders around, Draco's office was buzzing like a dragon nest.

''Call it a night lads, be there tomorrow at 6. Zabini, I want that awful thing muggle call coffee tomorrow morning.''

''Never was, nor am, OR WILL EVER BE your maid Malfoy.''

Draco glanced at him over the file of paper constantly accumulating on his office.

''Coffee it is, sir,'' whispered Zabini in a high pitched voice, he couldn't believe he failed, _again_ , to put down his feet against Draco's will.

As people started to go back to their respective home, Draco took the case Granger wanted to meet him for. For the last past hours, he had been building a wall of clues, just like in muggle tv shows. Pictures, notes and clues were pinned to his wall, strings making links between everything. It looked like a complete mess, but it was all he had.

 _Hermione Granger – Case HG24601_

The file in which all the information was written was locked, which was bizarre because unlike a door or a vault in Gringots, he didn't understand the point to lock a simple pile of paper.

He concentrated to feel the charm, took his wand and made a few circled movements. At first, nothing happened. Then, the file in his hand flattened to a simple, old and overused piece of parchment. The file had turned into a wordless and frankly useless bloody piece of parchment.

Though Draco tried to find something on it, he couldn't. He felt another charm was resisting his magic.

''What are you hiding, Granger?'' he whispered to himself caressing the mysterious object in hope something would appear.

All of sudden, words appeared in the middle of the parchment.

'' _Hogwarts: A History, incoming._

 _\- HG._ '' It read in an incredibly cursive writing.

''What are you trying to say?'' He asked to himself. ''For Merlin's sake Granger, for once, could you be precised and clear?''

But before he could think this further, he fell asleep on his desk.

He woke up two hours later when, again, two owls were knocking on his window. Both of them shared the weight of a book, a very precised book.

As he turned the page of Hogwarts: A History, he notice notes were written between the phrases and on the sides of the pages. Furthermore, very few numbers of pages were circled. His attention was drawn to back cover, were a stain of a substance remained.

Blood.

* * *

 **Hello! My first ever completed Dramione fics, reviews are always welcomed. And dare would I say, necessary? So please, give me your opinion :)**


	2. Day 01

''Malfoy,'' Potter pushed the door of his office without knocking. Draco had already been drinking his second cup of coffee. ''Anything new?''

Draco raised from his chair, put his hands on Harry's shoulders and place him in the middle of the room.

''Don't move, Potter.''

He then took the book he received during the night and mimicked to hit him just the way the person who has been hit with it was standing. Despite not knowing what was happening, Harry proceed has ordered. Repeating the same arm movement many times, just to be sure, Draco was unsatisfied with the results.

''That doesn't make any sense,'' he muttered to himself. ''Potter, what was the meaning of Hogwarts: A History to Granger?'' He asked.

Raising a brow to the odd question, Harry responded: ''It was her favorite book. She read it once a month back in Hogwarts. It saved us during the war. Why?''

''I believe she sent me this last night. '' He showed him the book he had in hand. ''There was a note with her initial,'' he lied about that last information. It was not a note, but her piece of paper that had warned him. He didn't know why, he decided to keep this information for himself. He continued.

''There is a stain on the back cover, in the middle of it. I thought that maybe she was hit with it. But now that I think about it, it looks more like fingerprints, or a weird pattern. I got the results this morning. T _his is not her blood_ , Potter. She was _not_ hit with it. Perhaps she tried to hit her kidnapper with it and end up having his blood on her hands.''

Potter seemed to be thinking about this, but nothing came to his mind.

''I need to go and check her flat.'' The blond man stated. ''You go home Potter.''

 ** _XX_**

The furniture was upside down, the walls were clean of blood despite the fact that there clearly has been a violent fight. No blood, nowhere, to fit the stain on the book.

Malfoy noticed nothing unusual in the scene, not the object he was looking for anyway. He let Zabini look for clues as he started to look up for her room. He found it quickly.

Verifying that he was lonely, he took out the file – _her_ file-enchanted-piece-of-parchment.

 _Hermione Granger – Case HG24601_

It felt weird, reading her name as if they were simply having a daily conversion about their respective cases, but not really seeing her. He felt uncomfortable with the thought.

That morning, before Potter came into his office, another simple word had appeared on it.

'' _Maraudeur's map._

 _\- HG._ ''

He had been rather insulted. Of all the clues, he received those lovely two words. _Maraudeur's map_. What did Maraudeur even mean? Was it even a word? Ugh! It brought back all the memories of him hating her, before the war. It brought back all his incomprehension for such a brilliant mind, and all his jealousy toward it.

So now, that was what he was looking for, a _map_.

He observed her bedroom, absorbing the view in all its details. The room was really, typical Granger. Everything had a particular place, in a particular display. Two of the four walls were white, the other two were a dark purple. The bed had white sheets, and in the corner, pinned to the wall, was a library. The bed was so well made, it almost seemed inviting.

He felt like a stranger, an intruder, stepping in her room. This has been the place she had slept, she had lived, she had thought. (Let's face it, thinking was her favorite activity.)

Shaking the feeling off his shoulders of being a perverted voyeur, he started to look for something, anything, in her room. Her clothing rested unmoved in her closed. Her robes were perfectly ironed. In the corner of his eyes, something caught his attention. On a library shelf, were all the books were disposed tightly one against each other, was a hole.

There was a book missing.

He tries to insert the file, but the book was too large for the place.

''Accio, Hogwarts: A History,'' he said aloud.

It took three minutes for the book to arrive. Once it did, it fitted perfectly. There was a sudden spark of light, and Draco vanished.

 ** _XX_**

He was back in his old school robes, at Hogwarts. Astonished by the thought that he might have been travelling in time, - how was that possible? Merlin's beard! And he thought he had seen it all! - he didn't notice the bushy hair girl standing in front of him.

''Thank Merlin you made it,'' She spoke.

He jumped at the sound of her voice. ''Granger?!'' They were sitting at the Gryffindor table, people were passing by, not caring about them one bit.

''Malfoy,'' she greeted by nodding her head in his direction. She smiled weakly.

A thought dawned on him at that very moment.

''Granger, tell me this is not a Horcruxe.''

After the war, the Daily Prophet had published the entire story of how the _Boy who Lived_ had beaten Voldemort to ashes. Draco, to his surprise, was not portrait as the bad guy. In fact, he was mentioned maybe once, or twice. Yes, he had read it. He was curious, after all.

She flustered, her face becoming redder by the second and her breath harshening.

''W-What?! No, Malfoy, _no_! A horcruxe requires the soul to be broken, shattered to pieces by the act of killing. Never, in my entire life, would I do something so vile and unnecessary!'' Her arms were now crossed over her chest and her eyes were like daggers pointed in his direction. She took one, then two deep breaths.

''Malfoy,'' she continued as he kept his mouth shut,'' although I wish I could take a picture of you speechless, we have issues to discuss. This is not a horcruxe, it's a glimpse of my memory I have attached to an object.''

''Your favorite book,'' he interrupted, without looking at her. He has never been alone with her, never in all his years in Hogwarts, neither at work. There was always someone else to make the tension vanish.

''Indeed,'' she confirmed. He kept observing his environment. As the minutes went by, he noticed some details. The people walking around them were becoming faceless. Where there should have been a mouth, two eyes, a nose and two ears was a blur space that followed the body around, attached to it.

''Granger, what's that?'' He pointed at them.

She sighed, her breath now shaking. He took an interest in her; her eyes were puffy and had bags under them. She passed a hand through her hair, and he caught a glimpse of a bruise. He grabbed her forearm and pulled up her sleeve. It was completely bruised, with all shades of blue, black and yellow.

''Oh no!'' She cried. ''My body is taking over my mind, I can't hold up anymore. Draco, find the map, find it – just follow the clues, you're brilliant you will find them! Follow the clues! ''

Her voiced completely zoned out, as he snapped back – rather in pain – to reality. Dizzy, he looked down at his watch – 15 seconds had gone by. He tries to take _Hogwarts: A History_ , off the shelf to bring it back with him. He pulled it, tried many charms, but nothing seemed to make the damn book move.

He felt dizzy. He didn't know if it was because Hermione Granger had complimented him, or if it was just a side effect of the memory.

Swearing under his breath, he took out the piece of parchment – he should give it a name, something to make it more personal - in hope to find another message.

'' _I solemnly swear that I am up to no good._

- _HG_.'' It read.

''Dammit Granger,'' he kicked the wall with all his accumulated anger,'' I thought you'd be more precise – you of all people!'' Due to his violence, a piece of the mirror which was hanging on the wall broke down and crashed on the floor.

He swore he could see her smirk in his head.

But before he could take the time to analyze the words, Zabini apparated in the room.

''Malfoy, the ministry is under attack!''

They both apparated back to the ministry. And then, hell broke loose.

Utter chaos. Spells were thrown in all directions. A green light flew by him, he had the time to throw himself out of the way, the spell hit the wall behind him.

The scene brought back memories, memories he wish he could forget. It brought the war back. A few years ago, he was the boy who never had a choice. Now, her was Draco Malfoy, an experienced auror and a man worth of his choices.

He chose to fight for the right side. As an auror, he was not given the right to kill, except if he was attacked before and that his life was in danger.

''Stpefy! Petrificus totalus!''

He swore under his breath – and habit he had picked up from Zabini – when a charm hit him on the arm. Then, everything went black. Not because he lost conscience, but because the light was literally stolen.

He heard a lot of ''lumos'' being whispered as light stoke here and there.

Except Draco was use to darkness, he had been a part of it for too long. He chose not to reveal his position. Instead, he started to crawl on the ground, silently, slowly, like a predator spies on his victims. He saw a wand illuminated with light the only problem was that he didn't know to whom it belonged to.

All of sudden, the light came back. The assault had stopped, no attackers were left, only injured aurors and employees of the ministry.

Draco eyes grew bigger as a gasp escaped his lips, on the walls of the ministry were plastered different pictures of Hermione Granger, chained, beaten up and awfully bleeding.

In the air, written with fire, the words ''She will pay for her sin'' were burning bright, the fire slowly dying down.

 ** _XX_**

Later that night, after finishing cleaning the mess of the fight and sending the injured people to 's, Draco walked back to his office.

He twisted the door handle and pushed the door. He was so exhausted it seemed to weight twice as much as usual. The sight of his office was so unexpected that he almost dropped his wand.

The place was a mess. His desk was turned upside down, the piles of paper that were so neatly placed on his desk were now thrown off it, laying on the floor. Obviously, someone tried to find something. _Who_ , and _what_? He noticed the only thing left untouched was his muggle wall of clues.

* * *

 **Hope you're still enjoying this! Please comment, xx**


	3. Day 02

After a night of rest, Draco arrived of the Ministry.

Potter and Weasley were in his office, both pacing nervously while lost in their thoughts.

''Where _were_ you, ferret?'' Weaslebee snapped.

Knitting his brows in misunderstanding, Draco answered,'' sleeping, maybe? That's what people do at night, usually.''

''Sleeping?!'' The Weasley was outraged and his face was getting redder by the minute. ''Hermione's out there, being tortured, probably r-raped,'' he stuttered in anger, ''and you're _sleeping_?''

''Oh Weaslebee, always getting your knickers in a twist, I see,'' Draco replied with a scoff. ''I am not wasting my time here, I want to save Granger as much as you want her back! But I need a little rest from time to time, because I cannot think if not. Simple, really. I would have thought that even you could get that.''

Taken aback, Ronald kept quiet. Even though he still despised Malfoy, he had to admit it the blond auror had a point.

''Now that's settled, I need you two to help me build Hermione's profile. ''

After hours of speaking, Draco's brain was filled with Hermione _this_ , Hermione _that_ , and how amazingly brilliant she's supposedly always been. At least, he had a more precised idea of who she used to be in Hogwarts, and who she was now – well, before her kidnapping.

''Past relationships,'' resumed Draco, ''Krum, McLaggen, and you Weasley. Is that all for boyfriends?''

Potter nodded. ''She didn't really dated McLaggen, she went on a few dates with him but that was all.'' He added to be more precised. ''The lad completely nuts.''

''Her two parents were obliviated during war, the ministry of magic made them recall everything. At age 18, she started to work as an auror. At age 19, when the chief of the department retired, she got promoted chief auror, being also youngest chief auror in all history of magic. ''

''Yet, everything is correct,'' interrupted the redheaded man.

Draco went on.

''Her favorite book is Hogwarts: A History. She used to borrow your invisible cloak to read at night in the restricted area, what a surprise. She is the brain of the Golden Trio – thought that I'm not surprised of, you two aren't hard to beat off.''

A thought crossed his mind.

''Say, Potter, does '' _I solemnly swear that I am up to no good_ '' means anything to you?''

Potter looked at Weasley discreetly, but Draco caught the subtle glance.

''Potter...'' He insisted. The boy who lived sighed.

''My father was known to be a part of the Marauder, along with Sirius, Remus and Peter...'' he started,'' The made a map of Hogwarts, the map of the Marauder, where you could see people walk around the castle. The map looked like an empty piece of parchment until you would say '' I solemnly swear that I am up to no good'', then the ink would appear on it. We used it a lot throughout our adventures,'' he explained. ''How do you know about that Malfoy?''

Bloody hell. The Marauder's map was Potter's invention?!

''Just a clue among others. See you later lads, I've got place to be.''

Just like that, he flood back to Granger's place. The flat had been cleaned as he had ordered sooner that day. All traces have been noted and taken in picture, to add to his file. He walked in direction of her room, his mind constantly analyzing what Potter had said.

He took out the journal in the room, waiting for something to guide him through his investigation.

Again, the word appeared. This time, a new sentence joined.

 _''_ _I solemnly swear that I am up to no good._

 _Don't be seen._

 _\- HG.''_

And so he spoke aloud, repeating the words loudly and clearly, the s rolled softly on his tongue and the feeling of intruding Granger's life got heavier on his shoulders.

'' I solemnly swear that I am up to no good. '' The phrase sounded incredibly wrong in his mouth, like he had stolen it from Granger's past. It shadowed over him and a slight chill shook him.

Before he could think about it further, a whole piece of the library moved on the left side, revealing a gaping hole in the wall. Draco observed it. It looked as if someone had dug it. A light caught his eyes, and his extended his arm in attempt to collect to source of light.

A long golden chain slipped through his fingers, when he finally reached the jewel on the chain. He took out the masterpiece to observe it. In the middle of the chain was hanging an hourglass in which the sand seemed to be slowly drifting away from side to side, not even considering the gravity in their movement. All of sudden, the hourglass started to rotate anticlockwise.

Draco, once again, ended up in the past against his will.

 ** _XX_**

He recognized the place instantly: Diagon Alley. A movement caught his sight, as he turn to notice Hermione Granger, dressed in a dark cloak and walking in the shadows. She turned to face him, her white face uncovered by hood of the cloak. Her pink lips twisted in an awkward smile as their eyes locked.

''Gran- '' he started but he was cut in his words when she quickly silent him but walking the distance between their bodies to put her hand over his mouth.

''Hush, Malfoy. Put this over your clothes,'' she handed him a cloak similar to hers, ''Follow me from afar and _don' be seen_.'' She hissed the last words as someone turned to them, walking slowly past them.

For the first time in his life, he actually followed her orders without any further interrogation. She started to walk again, putting the hood of the cloak over her head, pieces of her untamed hair floating in the wind. Her gracious silhouette moved easily through the crowd.

Malfoy had the hardest time trying to keep her in sight. People pushed him backwards with force, as if the memory knew he was an intruder.

''Hey, watch it!''

''How do you think you are? – Out of the way! ''

But as he continued to follow Granger, he recognized the place they were heading to. The last time he penetrated the shop, it was with the weight of the curse of the mark on his shoulders, and his beloved mother was accompanying him. Now he was all alone, following the memory of Granger to a place he promised himself never to step in never again.

 _Borgin & Burkes._

The bell rang when Granger pushed the door first; he quickened his pace so that he wouldn't make sound entering the shop. He slipped in the door ajar.

The smell hit him like the slap Granger graciously gave him in third year. The place was dark, no sunray was strong enough to pierce the years of dirt accumulated on the windows. Piles of unknown object were tossed here and there. Granger made her way to the back of the shop.

 _No, please, no_. He thought to himself.

But Granger never took his prayer into account.

The vanishing cabinet was still standing tall, like a threat, where Draco had left it. Imposing itself as a proof of his past failure, the young man felt a pang in his chest that cut his breathing. Tears tickled his eyes as he tried to push back the memories of his previous and countless mistakes. Someone had died because of his choices. A great man had sacrificed himself so that he, Draco _Lucius_ Malfoy, could have a second chance. A second chance he never dared to look at when Severus Snape killed Dumbledore.

Hermione pushed down the hood covering her face, and turned to face him. A sad smile painted on her lips, she looked at him with tired eyes. Bags were under her eyes, and as second flew by, cuts slowly appeared on her face, piece of hair fell down to the floor, she seemed to lose weight. She looked deathly. She stepped in his direction, and tried to touch his face with her pale hand, but she went right through him. She was literally ghostly.

' _'_ _I've got to go, Draco._ '' It was only a whisper, but it was loud enough for him to feel the need to grab her in his arms and protect her for everything that could possibly hurt her. His breath got knocked out in his lungs. He was so close, but so far at the same time.

He made a step into her direction, but she vanished. And so did he.

Painfully, he snapped back to reality.

 ** _XX_**

He head back to his house, not wanting to have another verbal intercourse with Weasley and Potter. When he arrived home, an owl was waiting for him by the window. He opened in the let the creature in, and detached the roll of parchment from it.

''Malfoy, the report of Hermione Granger's last 72 hours of freedom is waiting on your desk. Shall I send it to you?

\- Zabini. ''

At least, his sidekick was really helping him, not alike these useless Gryffindor boys who were mourning all day long about their kidnapped friend.

Draco wrote a fast answer.

''Send it here, please Zabini. Thanks for everything, mate. ''

A little thank you never hurt anybody. Merlin knew how much he appreciated the help Zabini was bringing him on a daily basis. In his career, Zabini had always brought a great support to Draco. In the back of his mind, the blond man noted to buy a bottle of firewhisky as a thank you for his fellow Slytherin mate.

Draco took the time to shower, to cook something to eat – something excluding the fast food and the coffee he has been eating the previous days.

Within an hour, the owl was back, this time with the report in handy.

Malfoy sat on his sofa. He remembered that when he first received the message from Zabini, it has been followed by a patronus, an otter more precisely.

Granger's patronus was an otter. He remembered clearly.

 _''_ _Mister Malfoy, do you reckon participating to the invasion of the Death Eaters in territory of Hogwarts using a vanishing cabinet? ''_

 _''_ _Yes.''_

 _''_ _Do you reckon accepting to receiving the dark mark?''_

 _''_ _I was force because you-know-who had a hold on my family, sir.''_

 _''_ _But in the end, you agreed to it on your on will, excluding the Imperio?''_

 _''_ _Yes.''_

 _''_ _Do you regret your doings Mr Malfoy?''_

 _''_ _Yes.''_

 _''_ _Those in favor for Mister Mafloy to serve a sentence in Azkaban for10 years and then be rehabilitated in the magic community?''_

 _The totality of the jurors raised their hands._

 _''_ _Call the dementors.'' The sentence echoed in the empty room._

 _Draco started to feel cold, incredibly cold. Though the dementors could not feed much on him, for he had not been happy for the majority of his life, he felt incredibly weak – almost dead. A dementor was touring him from above. He didn't want to fight, he didn't know what to fight for. What he had thought to be good was just a lie, his whole life was destined to serve the wrong cause. He had never known good._

 _''_ _No! You cannot do that!''_

 _The doors of the room opened revealing Harry Potter, in company of Hermione Granger._

 _''_ _Expecto Patronum!'' She yelled. A blue filament of magic oozed out of her wand and turned into an otter. The animal swam around him, making multiple circles, the dementor fighting back in retreat._

 _''_ _Malfoy made his mistakes – true. '' She acknowledge. ''But he saved Harry's life. Furthermore, he gave Harry his wand to defeat the Dark Lord. Instead of punishing him, you should help him.''_

 _''_ _Malfoy's never had the chance the make the good choices. You would expect a child to choose death instead of saving his family? He has been thought that dark magic and pureblood traditions were the right thing. Help him see the truth.''_

 _''_ _So what is it you suggest mister Potter? '' Asked one of the juror._

 _Potter took a breath. '' Malfoy has to needs redemption himself, true. Here is what I suggest: I take Malfoy under my wing and coach him into an auror and he dedicates his life to the security of the magic community. ''_

 _''_ _Miss Granger? What do you think?'' Questioned the same juror._

 _''_ _As newly promoted to Chief of the Auror department, I have thought about this solution back and forth, and I believe this is the best way to keep him under watch and teach him another way of living. Plus, let's not forget Draco Malfoy is a skilled wizard. We could use extra hands in the department.''_

 _''_ _Well, those in favor for Mister Malfoy to become an auror, under the supervision of Harry James Potter and Hermione Jean Granger?''_

 _The crowd raised their hands._

No need to say that Malfoy was forever in dept of Harry Potter, but also Hermione Granger. The girl whom he'd called mudblood so often, the girl he had ridiculed at every occasion life has given him back at Hogwarts, the girl – never would he admit it outloud – he admired for being the brightest witch of their generation. Surely, Malfoy was not far behind, being quite brilliant himself. Still, she was something.

His eyes lids started to feel heavier. The time lapse he had experienced sooner that day had drained all energy from him.

He chose to take a nap before starting the reading of the report Zabini had sent him.

* * *

 **Uhhm, so who is the culprit? Starting to see the clues? What do you think?**


	4. Day 03 PT 1

Amateur. He was just an _amateur_. He had wanted to take a nap, but he had slept through the night, without waking up even once.

''Shit!'' He was furious against himself.

He entered his bathroom naked, and took a long steamed hot shower. When he washed himself, he felt something weird on his left shoulder.

 _Probably just a cut from the ministry's attack._

But when he got out, he couldn't resist to check in the mirror what it was.

To his surprise, the pattern he had seen on the book was writing, now in black ink, in his skin.

 _Note to self, go to St Mungos for that when I find Granger. This can wait._

Then, he sent a note to his office to say he wasn't showing up today and started to read the report Zabini had sent him last night.

Damn, Granger didn't have any social life whatsoever. None, niet, nada, rien du tout.

When she'd see Potter and Weasley, it was a work. Once a month she would dine with the Weasleys and Potters, most times on Sundays. Once in a while she'd go shopping with Weaslette. That was all. No wonder why she got promoted so fast.

''What did you do Granger, what did you do ?'' He whispered to himself his eyes reading the words on the roll of parchment.

He read the times she effectuated a move, the things she's bought, the books – way too many books – she'd read, the places she'd been to and the people she'd seen.

A name popped on the list – a name he thought he'd never hear about ever throughout this entire case.

 _Wednesday 08, 16h - Teddy Lupin, Malfoy Manor._

The young boy was a reminder of that part of his family who had made the good choices. His aunt Andromeda, unlike him, had had enough strength to choose _love_ over power and hate. She had chosen the ray of light in the darkness. After the war, when his father was sent to Azkaban, Lupin had started to see Draco's mother more often. It was Harry's decision. He wanted the young Lupin to know his family, as he, Harry Potter, didn't have the occasion to. Malfoy himself had to babysit him quite a few times. Teddy was incredibly cheerful; he was like a breeze in the heat of the sun so Malfoy never minded. He would never admit it to Potter, but he quite liked the kid. Draco wouldn't mind paying him a visit.

Then, a thought dawned on him.

''No... no Granger, not what – but _where_. ''

Granger had known they were coming to get her all that time.

He couldn't help but be slightly impress by everything the Gryffindor had planned for him, forever the Hogwarts ferret, to find her. Potter or Weasley could never be assigned to case, due to the relation they were sharing. They would have been biased on everything. Hermione Granger had placed the hints precisely for him to find them out, she had built a trail in hope he would find them and understand them. She knew he was going to do anything to find her.

She didn't even seemed surprise of his unexpected intrusion in her memories. She had waited for him.

For how long as she known she would be kidnapped?

Furthermore – _why didn't she tell anybody_?

 ** _XX_**

 _Knock knock._

''Mother,'' he greeted with a smirk. ''Long time no see.''

The door pushed open to reveal Mrs Malfoy, as well dressed as ever. When Lucius had been sent to prison, she had throw away all of her dark robes and cloak. She had bought designed robes from a very popular, both in the muggle and magical world, designer. Something like Versace or Chanel, he never really remembered. She smiled and glowed, the glow of freedom. The pink robes were making her look more alive than ever.

''Draco! What a pleasure! '' She hugged him as a salutation. ''I never get to see you now that you are required for all the cases,'' Mrs Malfoy openly complained about the lack of time her son had.

He shrugged the glitter of sadness he caught in her eyes. ''What do you want, mother, I am literally bounded to the ministry, plus a wizard's got to work to make an honest living. Though I'd be glad to chat and catch up with you, I am here to see Teddy. He is with you, isn't he?''

''Indeed, my darling. I suggested the Potter to keep him here, at the Manor, until Ginny gives birth. They needed a break. ''

He nodded in comprehension. He was so busy being an auror, he often tended to forget Potter was waiting for his first kid.

''May I see him?''

As an answer, she took the direction of the dining room, in which Teddy Lupin was sitting at the table like he was the owner of the manor.

''Granny can we continue to play Prince and Princess now?'' The high-pitched voice asked in an impatient tone.

''Not now Teddy, look, cousin Draco is here! He wants to speak with you, my love.'' She said in a soothed voice.

''Does he have an appointment ?'' Responded the kid.

Draco's brow raised in surprise.

''I'm sorry Mister Lupin, I believe I forgot to make an appointment. Though I assure you my case is important enough to the matter of your kingdom. '' Draco answered kneeling in front of the kid and embracing him.

''Fair enough, fellow Slytherin. Let's go to my office.'' Teddy answered with a smirk. For an instant, Draco was worried he'd already influenced the kid with his bad habits. Teddy turned to Mrs Malfoy who was watching them with great attention. ''Granny, Draco and I will be in the kitchen if you need to speak to me. '' He looked quite satisfied with his tone and impeccable manners, and so Narcissa only smiled to them, taking a book which was on the table.

''So what is it your need cousin?'' Asked the young Lupin. ''Water?'' he offered gently handing a glass to Draco, than he sat on the counter watching him sipping his drink. ''Sometimes I pretend I'm older and that it's firewhisky.''

''Thank you, '' he finished his glass not knowing what to respond to the last comment. ''You see Teddy, these past few days I have been working on an incredibly though case. And someone's been kidnap – ''

''Aunt Hermione, cousin. I know.'' His eyes were glowing with tears. ''Granny didn't wanted me to find out, but it was on the Daily pProphet and I had a house elf read it to me.''

Damn, that kid was bright. Maybe Hermione had started to influence him as well.

''I'm sorry, Teddy. I'm doing everything I can to find her. I heard she paid you visit recently, that's why I'm here. Did she say anything weird – I mean, weirder than usual?''

Teddy seemed stressed. He looked at the door between the kitchen and the dining room. Draco followed his sight. They could see Narcissa's head surpassing the sofa's back. Obviously, she was too busy reading to hear anything that was said between the two cousins. Then Teddy stepped down the counter and verified there was no elf in the room.

He finally turned to a curious Draco.

''Follow me,'' he whispered. He started to run silently in the corridors of the Malfoy Manor. Draco couldn't help but realise that if they had been a happy family, and that if he would have had a brother, the feeling would have been similar to this instant he was sharing with Teddy.

According to the path they were taking, they were running in direction of the second's floor library. They entered the room silently. Again, Teddy checked they were lonely. He took the time to look under the chairs and sofas and to look behind the curtain. As the minutes passed by, Draco's curiosity was dangerously increasing, it was comparable to a fire eating him up.

 _I bet that's how Granger felt when she needed information. Maybe that's why she used to sneak out at night to the restricted section in the library._

Chasing the thought, he closed the door behind him, he waited patiently for the kid to reveal his secret.

Teddy walked to the shelves of the library. He tiptoed until he reached a book on the third shelf and pushed it. The book vanished to reveal a hole, in which Teddy's tiny hand caught on something Malfoy couldn't identify.

The yound boy kept his back turned for a minute, just holding the packaged in his hands. He turned to Draco with a serious face. It scared Draco, because it reminded him of the face he'd wear everyday of his childhood.

Remus's son walked to his cousin, his gaze never leaving was he was holding.

''Aunt Hermione came four days ago, Draco. She gave me this, it's for you. She said she didn't know when you would need it, but that you would eventually. ''

He took the package without glancing at his cousin.

 _''_ _Take care of it, it's old and very useful._

 _PS; Don't tell Harry. Please?_

 _\- HG.''_

He could almost see her big brown eyes looking at him, in hope he will not reveal he was in possession of whatever that was. He ripped the brown paper recovering the package apart. He was expecting another book, or the map he had to look up for. But no, it was nothing like that.

His brows knitted as he touched the soft fabric. He could see his hands though it. What a wicked witch she was, even handling him the tool he needed to investigate her own kidnapping.

Draco Malfoy was holding one of the Deathly Hallows, more precisely the invisible cape.


	5. Day 03 PT 2

**A/N: thank you for your reviews! I hop the main plot will surprise you, it is after all, the goal of this story. I know that's it's not very romantic yet, I have worked something up to live up to that expectation... Hope you enjoy! Don't forget to review!**

* * *

Leaving the Malfoy Manor with the cape in his pocket – which he had enchanted with an undetectable extendable charm, Draco thought of looking at Hermione's parchment. He had decided to call it like that. Since it was from her, it made it feel like she was still alive and perfectly sane.

For a second, nothing appeared.

''Granger, come on. Be nice for once. ''

Slowly, as if responding to his prayers, the cursive letter appeared again.

 _''_ _You shall trust no one._

 _\- HG. ''_

''Ugh!'' He threw the piece of paper away, in a sudden rage.

You shall trust no one?!

A bloody name would have been nice!

He was tempted to leave the piece of her – well, of parchment - where it laid, on the grass and far, far away from him.

But it was his only connection with Granger. He couldn't just abandon her behind like that, she would have never done this to him.

''Damn it Granger, you owe me.'' He muttered more for himself.

He walked to the piece of parchment and picked it up the ground. He noticed something different from the last message was written on the cover.

 _''_ _You wish,_

 _\- HG.''_

He smirked; there she was. He could practically hear her speak to him. Her eyes would have been sparkling, they always were, and she would have tried not to smile, but she would have smiled to him anyway; a smile completely honest and sincere, without any harm whatsoever. As the day flew by, he felt this strange sensation in his chest, as if they were connected. It felt strange, to have a contact with her but not to really talk with her. He wished he could talk to her. No one deserved to be treated like she was treated like that. But who was he to speak of her in that way? He had mocked her all their studies. He was going to make it up to her. Because he owed her, of course, not for any other reasons.

 ** _XX_**

Before heading to his next destination, he made a quick appearance at his office to see if anything new could help him. To his surprise, Zabini was sat at his bureau. His friend didn't seem to notice that the master of the office was back in his own territory, he was too busy searching for something in drawers.

''Zabini? What are you doing here?''

''Ouch!'' Surprised, Zabini had shut the drawer on his fingers. '' Oi mate! You should think about _not_ giving me a heart attack next time you interrupt my thoughts! ''

''Yeah yeah, whatever. So what you doing?'' Draco asked again, summoning an apple from the fruit basket laying on his desk to him. He took a big bite of it, looking at his fellow Slytherin who was still looking through the sheets on his desk.

''I was looking for Hermione's personnal case, you know, the one she was working on before her kidnapping. I made a copy of the report I sent you last night, I was trying to find a correlation between them.'' He walked to the wall of clues, which had not been updated for a while.

''Good idea, though the file was robbed when the ministry got attacked. It was the only copy.'' Draco took another bite. He didn't know why he was lying. Maybe it was because of the message Granger had wrote on her journal. He was becoming paranoid, Zabini could never do... whatever she was implying. He was bound to the ministry as well, but Weasley had been the one teaching him being an auror.

''Oh well, ain't gonna waste more time on that! Thanks mate, take care!'' He walked in direction of the door, not looking back.

''Oi Zabini, is that a black eye?'' The black bruised caught Draco's attention.

Zabini finally turned to him, with a reluctant smile, he nodded eagerly, as if the shake away the throbbing pain. '' Souvenir from the attack, ain't I lucky? It makes me look rough and tough, the ladies dig it.''

A laugh timidly escaped the blond's lips.

''Anyway, got to head back. See you! '' His friend finally exited his office.

To his dismay, nothing new was on his desk. He decided to check at his wall of clues. Since the attack, he hadn't been alone in his office. Therefore, he didn't have the occasion to update his wall. It had been untouched for days.

Untouched? No, someone had moved the strings around. Plus, a tiny piece of paper had been added to the masterpiece.

'' _Be careful who you trust._ ''

That must've happen during the attack at the ministry. Someone used the attack as a distraction to come into his office. How could he have not noticed before? Again, there was that warning about trust.

Draco didn't know what to do about it. He had to keep everything to himself.

There was only one thing left to do.

Use that bloody cape.

 ** _XX_**

It was weighting in his pocket as if he had put all Granger's book in it.

 _Maybe that's how she trains_ , he thought, _by_ _lifting all those books._

How could he even be thinking about Hermione when she was not there?

He put the cape over his clothing and marched in the Dark Alley in direction of Borgin & Burkes. At each step he was making, he could feel his breath increasing and his heart beating fast in his chest. The alley was shadowed and weird people were walking slowly. He even walked passed a woman who was muttering to herself. He put a silent charm on the door bell through the door, and then pushed it to enter the building.

What he saw almost made his through the cape away.

 ** _XX_**

The floor above her head cracked. She stopped moving. The room above her remained dead silent. Which could only mean one thing: her kidnapper was coming to see her.

What was it going be today? She had to escape before he was back. _She had to._

Would he try to rape her like yesterday? She didn't think she could try to bite him again, he's going to watch out for her teeth, or worse: put tape on her mouth.

The ropes were burning her skin, after days of chafing them together. Because obviously, years of learning magic couldn't save her right now. She would have needed muggle school skills, how ironic. Wait, did they learn how to escape a psychopath in muggle school?

She could feel Draco collecting the clues, which meant the spell was working. She could hear his thoughts sometimes. She was surprised he couldn't hear hers. She felt the feeling of intrusion he had when he walked in her room. It was the only thing she could hold on to.

She was incredibly cold, she had been craving for heat. Yet it had only come _from his dirty hands_. She could remember the way his hands had undressed him the first time, she was half conscious. He had _shivered_ at the sight of her in panties and bra. He had _kissed her_ , from the nape of her neck to between her breasts. All that time, she couldn't move. She was forced to suffer his aggressive assault. After his doings, he had put on a pearly nightgown to cover her body.

There were only tears silently streaming down her face. When he left, she had been able to move. Sobbing, she had tried to cover her body with the tiny piece of clothe he had dressed her with. At the thought of everything he had done to her, she wanted to puke.

She was physically bruised and had cuts, on her arms, on her thighs, even on her belly. She was mentally close to a break down. Draco was her only hope.

 _It's only been...4 days? More? Or less? I don't even know anymore._

Why did she, Hermione Jean Granger, war hero, have to suffer this?

The door pushed open, revealing a tall, built and familiar silhouette.

''Tss, tss Granger, trying to escape are we? '' He stepped in the room. ''You're not going anywhere, darling.'' He shut the door behind him.

 _Please Malfoy, please, be fast._

 ** _XX_**

''Whoa!'' He bent to avoid an alarm clock thrown in his direction. In ended smashed on the streets in an awful noise. ''What the - ? '' He remembered he had to stay silent. The throwing stopped for a moment, and then it started all over again, without any warning whatsoever.

Draco stepped as in direction of the fuss as silently as he could.

Cormac McLaggen was furiously throwing piles of enchanted object to the ground, well, not only on the ground. He was just throwing everything, everywhere.

Draco had to be incredibly flexible to avoid every object that was thrown in his direction.

McLaggen seemed crazy, his eyes were bloodshot and he was pulling pieces of his hair.

The door bell rang as someone else entered Berjow & Beurk.

 _Probably the highest amount of clients they'd had in years_ , Malfoy thought to himself.

''Where is it, where is it?'' He repeated to himself, unaware there was a witness to his madness. ''I need it! I need it! Free, I want to be – '' McLaggen suddenly straighten up, a green puff of hair surrounding his head.

''Mc Laggen,'' the voice hissed. ''You shall not leave the room without my permission! How come the Imperio even washed out?''

Draco observed the silhouette still standing at the entry of the shop. It was wearing a cloak covering its head. Plus the voice seemed oddly familiar.

McLaggen silently left the shop, following the hooded man. In normal times, Draco would have followed the criminal, but now he was on a more urgent case. He had to end this as fast as possible. _Granger was being raped_ , for Merlin sakes!

The single thought of her being touched by a being so nasty, so dark, something who could really spoil her purity, made him want to puke. He was not better, he had been a part of the darkness too, but he was seeking for redemption.

He finally reached the door of the vanishing cabinet, and what he found left him really satisfied.


	6. Day 04

**A/N: Thank you all for the encouraging reviews, or just for following me or the story... That was really unexpected, but gladly appreciated! Here comes the biggest chapter - the turning point. Hope you enjoy! I believe there are two other short chapters. If you like fremione, I am currently writing a fic with these two :)**

 **Have a good day!**

* * *

It had been eyeing at his for the past hours, but for a reason, he could not commit himself to say the words. It was an empty piece of parchment, larger than the one he was getting messages from Hermione. He knew exactly what it was. Oddly, his path has never crossed so many interesting things since he had been looking for Hermione.

He was scared to find another pointless message. Something like '' _Will_ _you finally find me someday? Ferret! – HG_ '' or even ' _'It was JUST A PRANK! (you know, for all those years at Hogwarts, payback time!) – HG_ '' He imagined she would write something to piss him off, because that's what she was the best at. Or maybe nothing would appear at all.

 _Screw this, am I an auror of what?_ He muttered to himself.

''I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.''

The words echoed in his empty flat, like an empty promise.

Slowly, lines appeared, drawing the walls of Hogwarts. Amazed, Malfoy waited for the map to reveal the secrets of the castle he had spend 7 years of his life within. He could say steps, moving around the corridors, name tag identifying the students, as well as the teachers. His eyes scanned the map from left to right, then up to down.

On the Gryffindor common room was sketched a weird pattern. It looked like a circle with a straight line in the middle, cutting the circle in two and perfectly equal sides. Wait a minute, he had seen this before.

In Granger's favorite book. As well as on his own back.

He caressed the drawing, and found himself sucked in the map.

 ** _XX_**

The Gryffindor common room was incredibly silent and empty. Only Granger was sitting in the sofa, in front of the fire. Like in the first memory he had jumped in, they were both back in their school robes.

''I see you found the map,'' she whispered. ''I don't know if it's good or bad, to be honest.'' He walked up to where she remained still, watching the fire moving, as he sat beside her.

He took the time to observe her. He could feel his heart beat faster. She was there, in front of him, and alive. This time, she wasn't hurt. At least, she wasn't bruised yet. The flames were tainting her pale face orange, and it seemed as if her eyes were even more beautiful than he remembered. He held out a hand to caress her cheek, she jumped under his touch. She had been violated, she was sensible now.

''Granger, tell me, are you alright? ''

She laughed – a mad laugh it was. She never answered, her silent responding by itself. He wished he could do something about it.

''Why is it bad that I found the map?''

She finally dared to look up at him. Her eyes wear teary. ''Oh, Draco.'' She whispered before the tears started to roll down her cheeks. He couldn't help but take her in his arms.

''I- I wanted my mind to be safe. I knew they were coming. And I knew that they would break me down if they could break my mind. So I secured all my thoughts on the memories I left you. It was an old charm, white magic or something similar. It took me months. ''

She started to cry.

''When they hurt me, my mind runs away. It has been wandering who knows where. I could physically feel them touching me, but I didn't feel anything emotionally. '' She tried to reach the tears coming down her face, but Malfoy stopped her hand. He remembered, he always had tissue in his pockets. He used to wash away the liquid pain rolling down her cheeks. It was such an intimate gesture, but it was only one bit of his emotion. He wanted to protect her. He felt the urge to punch the wall at the thought of someone using her as a sexual slave. She was so much more than that.

Yes, he had always degraded her, back in school. But she represented something to him, something he knew he could never be or even achieved to be as a being: purity.

''I finally succeeded to cast the spell.'' She finished, her eyes piercing straight to his soul. ''I wasn't strong enough to contain all the magic in one object, so I separated in many.''

He started to connect to dots between her words.

The words escaped his lips before he could hold them back. ''What does it do?'' He murmured softly, half anxious and half apprehensive.

''It connects my mind to the one who was to find the map, Malfoy.''

Utter silence.

''But we can break it when I find you, right? ''

His heart started to beat faster in his chest. He sworn he could almost see it through his skin.

She nodded negatively. ''It's permanent.'' She gripped his hand. She hoped he would understand that _she didn't have the choice_. If her kidnapper could access her mind, they would have access to her soul. Her mind meant everything to her. It was the only muscle she had trained for years.

''What do you mean, permanent?'' He felt like a seven year old boy, always asking his parents around.

'' The map was the final glimpse of my mind, the last piece to the puzzle. You will be able to access my thoughts until I die, and so will I. ''

He was doomed. He cared about her, much more than anybody ever cared about him. But if he was to hear her think all day long, it was going to be hell.

''When does it start?'' Yet, he was trying, but he couldn't read her mind.

''Stop trying to read my mind, Draco. You are in a constructed memory; there is not enough of me, right here, right now, to read anything. When you will snap back to reality, it should happen.''

''Then please, don't let me go.'' He said to himself not looking at her. _I'd be horrible to have her in my head_ , he finished for himself.

She put her head back on his shoulder, and he brushed her hair, only to find her famished, hurt and bruised again.

''Find me, Draco,'' she whispered before vanishing in his arms. He could still feel her warmth on his shoulder; he could still smell her shampoo. His arms were grabbing thin air, in desperate attempt to make her come back. Before he could call for her name, he vanished as well.

 ** _XX_**

Not much happened for a while. He had expected Hermione's thought to rush in, alike a river floods in the ocean. On the contrary, it was incredibly silent. He had caught one of two glimpses how what she was seeing live, felt one or two rush of fear. But other than that, he heard nothing.

 _What now?_

Granger didn't give him any clues, or at least not much to handle to. And yet, he didn't feel her in his mind. He had the invisibility cloak, the Marauders map, a piece of parchment which he didn't really need anymore because he could apparently read Granger's mind.

Or maybe he could just happen to meet McLaggen somewhere. Say, the Leaky Cauldron where he always grabbed a drink after work. He took out the piece of parchment; in hope Granger would communicate him something since he hadn't found the way to communicate with her.

 _''_ _Mischief managed,_

 _-HG.''_

He tapped the map, saying those exact words, and the ink slowly sunk back into the material, until there was none left.

He was not sitting right where Malfoy had expected it. In fact, he was nowhere in sight. Which was weird, because McLaggen was known for drinking. He was not an alcoholic, but not so far from it. Some say that war has taken all his family, and that was the reason for him to drink, some others pretend he's always been like that, even back at Hogwarts.

He walked up graciously to Tom, the bartender.

''Hey Tom,'' he started.

''Hey Malfoy, how's is going? Anything new on the Granger case?'' He put an empty glass in front of the auror, but Draco refused the drink with a movement of his hand.

Draco's brow knitted closer in the realisation of the question Tom had asked. ''How come you know about this?'' He whispered leaning closer to the barman, a threat in his voice.

 _Merlin, I really am becoming paranoid. Better find Hermione soon._

''McLaggen can't shut about it. Something like he's got Granger or he's gonna find Granger. Dunno. '' The man spat in the glass he was cleaning only to continue his job.

Malfoy's open hand hit the table with force without him even feeling the pain. Although he was numb to physical pain, his entire body was tensed under the pressure.

''You didn't think this could help the ministry, Tom?'' He hissed. ''G-Granger is suffering incredible things!''

''Hey, don't look at me like that. The guy has been obsessing over Granger for years. Once, he even thought he was married to her. Who knows what's real and what's _not._ '' He shook his head in pity. ''What a shame she never went on a date with him, my ears can't take this crap anymore.'' He nonchalantly shrugged taking an empty class and cleaning it with a dirty towel.

''I have to find her,'' he whispered to himself.

''Since when do you care?'' Asked Tom mischievously.

''Since when – '' His words got caught in his throat. He couldn't believe someone had actually asked him that particular questions, he was furious. He took a deep breath. ''It's the brightest witch of our generation I am assigned to find Tom, you understand? Hermione Granger is much more than just a victim – she does not need that to happen to her. She's already paid too much during war, more than everybody here! She's lived way too many things for a witch her age! S-She had fought for peace before you even knew there was a war going on. Bloody hell, she had stated to fight at the age of 12! 12 years old! That's the age when you worry about boys, not about You-Know-Who coming back! I have to find her, because she is destined to accomplish great things! And if she's dead, guess what – she can't do anything! Okay, Tom?! '' His monologue had started at a low tone voice but now he was practically screaming. Everybody in the room had stopped their doings. Drinks were held half way through the tables and the mouths, eyes were wide open and even Tom, the imperturbable Tom, had stop his movement.

''Malfoy, I think you like the witch.''

''You're wicked. I owe her big, that's all.'' He grabbed his coat, pushed the chair he had sat on back and left the Leaky Cauldron without even looking back.

He was just amazed by how fast he had lost control. That had never happened before.

 _Hell, Father would have killed me a long time ago if I had spoken to him like that._

When he stepped out, the air hit him in the face. He actually was thankful for the fresh air, it cleared his thoughts. His mind started to wander in many directions, but it often came back to Granger.

He remembered clearly the first time he saw her. Her hair was not something that could be missed. She had smiled to a dark haired boy, with green eyes and glasses. That's the first time he had fell the pang of jealousy in his chest. Growing up, he had realized he had nothing to offer her, really nothing. He was dark, she was light. As simple as this, he would only hurt her.

But now, he had the chance to save her. To do something for her, something he could never had done if he had been sent to Azkaban. She had saved him in so many ways, it was time for him to return the favor.

How was he supposed to establish that mental connection?

His answers came to him when he saw a library across the streets. Granger loved books. Maybe if he could find a place where she had lived something incredibly intense, it would activate the connexion.

He pushed the door open, and took a deep breath. How comforting could old books smell like? Old books, new books, they all had something to tell. They were the only respectable way to live more than one life. Maybe that's why Granger liked it so much. He stepped into an aisle, his fingers automatically reaching for the edges of the multiple books.

\- Maybe if I could scratch his face and kick him in the nuts, it would distract him enough for me to run away...

\- Granger? Are you alright?

\- Draco! Yes, I am alright. Oddly, my kidnapper has not come to visit me today.

\- Do you know who it is?

\- No, he's always hooded, though he seems familiar. Anyway, I was just thinking about how –

Snap. Nothing. Deep silence.

 _I'd never thought I'd come to say this one day, but I hope I will hear her speak again, some day. I need to find her!_

He flooed to his office at the ministry, in research of McLaggen's address. He looked up in the files of the minister, where all information concerning the auror would be kept. When he walked back into his office, something caught is eyes. He needed to verify. Strings were moved in a way that resembled a familiar pattern. Draco took a step back. Yes, yes, now he could see it.

''Accio, Marauder's Map.''

The map silently approached Draco and he grabbed it as if it was the most pressure object he had ever touched.

'' I solemnly swear I am up to no good.'' He tapped the map with his wand. He was getting used to saying these words. It felt good to him now, someone who has been so involved into darkness. How come someone as pure and right as Hermione Granger could even say such words?

The map fully opened, as the ink revealed the secrets of Hogwarts.

He was looking for a pattern, the same pattern he could see now on his wall of clues, on his bare back, something to relate the map to his clues.

''McGonagall, Flitwick...'' The names appeared on the map. Nothing to be alarmed of yet. Draco's brow knitted together as he saw the name of the man he had been looking for sooner that night.

''Mc Laggen.''

The name was there, stepping in front a room and then vanishing.

''Mischief managed,'' He whispered tapping the map again.

He flooed in the office of the Headmistress McGonagall without hesitation.

''Why, good evening Mister Malfoy. Anything I can do to help you? You must be here for a reason. You're not the type to pay your old teacher a visit.'' questioned McGonagall sitting in her chair across the room and looking at him over her copy of the Daily Prophet.

He nodded in her direction. ''Alarm the Ministry, head mistress. I have reasons to believe something is about to happen.''

Without discussing any further matters, Draco took out the map and whispered the words.

Mc Laggen hasn't reappeared.

 _Too bad because I'm coming for you, Cormac._

Draco too the steps to the seventh floor, where he had seen McLaggen the last time. How could someone just vanish off the map? Wasn't it suppose to show everybody?

He ran in the corridors, following his own trace on the map and looking for the auror. He was so busy observing the map he didn't see the obstacle obstructing the corridor. He tripped and fell. When he opened his eyes, he met, face to face, with a dead Cormac McLaggen. He could tell, by the lack of blood and bruise, which were the proof of physical fight and violence, that he had been hit by the killing curse.

That's why he had suddenly vanished off the Marauder's map. The map only showed living people.

He looked again at the map, in pure curiosity, and a name caught his eyes.

 _Hermione Granger_ was walking the corridors, beside Blaise Zabini.

What the hell is he doing here?

''Hermione!'' He yelled, raising up off the floor and started to run. ''HERMIONE!'' His voice echoed in the emptiness of the air.

\- Draco don't! It's a tr – He Heard Hermione's voice but it was too late.

Malfoy was hit in the chest with a petrifying charm. He could not move, and that was not even what made him angry the most; he had literally run directly into a trap. He caught a glimpse of Hermione before she was sent back to where ever she was before. He had been so close, but was now so far away.

''My, my Malfoy. Who thought you of all people would run to help a pitiful mudblood? Hermione Granger, from all of them?''

He couldn't believe his eyes. His fellow Slytherin housemate and sidekick was towering him in all his madness, the effect of the potion washing away. Blaise Zabini kicked him in the ribs. A silent growl escaped his lips.

''Oh shut up, will you. Wingardium Leviosa. ''

Malfoy's body rose from the ground, in order to follow his kidnapper.

 _I can't believe all this time, it was right under my eyes. What a fool._

''What a fool you are, Malfoy,'' said Zabini reflecting his thoughts.

All the pieces of the puzzle fell together. The black-eyed must have been Granger. His office being upside down as well. But why would he had put clues to guide him to him on his wall of clues?

''Enjoy your stay, blood traitor.'' His head hit the floor in a silent thug, a hot liquid rolling down his head and his eyes closing.

''OI BITCH!'' Yelled Zabini. ''Step back! Crucio!'' He tortured Hermione right under Draco's eyes. To what the blond auror could gather, she had hit him in the eye, again.

He regained power over his muscles when Blaise left the room. Hermione immediately ran to him, her hands still tied up.

''Oh my God, Draco is that you! Draco!'' Two thin arms embraced him as best as she could and a delicate hand played with his hair. He felt his head being lifted and slowly set down on her cold thighs. ''Draco, stay awake, please.'' She whispered in a hush. ''Please, I beg you.'' He felt incredibly numb to everything. He felt numb to his physical pain, numb to his own mistakes and guilt threatening to show up on his face. He only felt her tears rolling down his face.

''Draco,'' she started to cry. ''You don't deserve this _. Please._ ''

Her last word had the effect of her famous punch. He gasped for air as he finally opened his eyes.

''Hermione?'' He wondered. He looked for his wand, but of course couldn't find it nowhere.

''Fuck.'' He whispered to himself. He sat looking at her.

She looked terrible. She was only wearing a dirty, pearly night gown, had cuts and bruises on her whole body and her hair was more bushy than ever. Draco's eyes roamed her body in attempt to see if they were any major wound. Seeing none, he looked away.

''Is that what you are looking for?'' She said agitating a wand in front of his face.

''How did you – '' He tried to grab the wand but she put it out of his reach,

''You'd be surprised how much a little wandless magic and a distraction can accomplish when combined.''

''Impressive Granger. Give it to me.'' He held out a hand in requirement of the wand.

''This revenge is mine, Malfoy.''

''Well, Granger. I'm starting to like you,'' he said. ''By the way, how come I can hear your thoughts only when I'm in danger?''

''The spell must have not worked properly,'' she whispered. ''Probably a good thing,'' she shrugged off.

Outside the wall, a loud _BANG!_ was heard, the wall shook as clouds of dust escaping the bricks.

Hermione looked at him.

''This is our shot, Malfoy.''

He nodded in her direction.

''Alohomora,'' she whispered pointing the wand at the door.

''Can't believe he thought I was so weak that he put the easiest spell on the door.''

They opened the door and what they saw was out of their minds.

Where there should have been only air in the door frame, was a reflective substance reflecting the two silhouettes. Him, his face covered with blood. Her, thinner and hurt, but with fire burning in her eyes.

Slowly, the image change, in Draco's eyes. Hermione was slowly fading away. But when he looked beside him, she was still there. There was only him, standing alone, in the mirror.

''What the – ''

''There's no time for this!'' She grabbed his hand and jumped through to substance.

 **XX**

For the third time that time, the first being when he was petrified and the second when Zabini had dropped him, Malfoy fell on the floor. Spells were aimed everywhere, people were screaming. He could see many people of his department, as he could see people dressed as Death Eathers.

A deep, loud and profound growl escaped through Draco's lips. He was not going to let Hogwarts burn down to ashes again. Death Eathers had no reason to exist not anymore.

Seconds later, when he was starting to stand up, Hermione came through the substance and fell on him.

''Uggh,'' he moaned in pain. ''Really, Hermione?'' Automatically, without thinking, he wrapped his arms around her waist.

''Stand up,'' she rolled off him, pushing his arms away. ''There's a fight going on.''

As she spoke those words, a man appeared in front of him and ran in his direction. Yelling, he aimed his wand at Hermione.

''Die, mudblood!''

Without thinking – he seemed to be doing that a lot, recently - Malfoy pushed her behind and used his own body in order to protect her. He observed the attacked, when it dawned on him.

''Justin?'' He asked. ''But... you were dead?''

''Death Eathers never die, Malfoy! '' The man aimed a spell at him, a red light about to hit Malfoy was blocked by a powerful shield Hermione had conjured.

''Sectumsempra,'' she groaned back.

Justin fell on the floor in a thud, his new cuts letting blood flow. Hermione kicked him in the ribs. ''That's not war anymore, Jackass. I _refuse_ to be kind to anybody, anymore.''

Draco held her back. She had all the right to be mad and to express it.

''Let me go, Draco! Let me kick him!'' She was fighting like the lion she was in his arms. She might have been through hell, back and forth, these past few days, but she was still strong.

''Granger let go, he does deserve this, I know. But he's not worth it.''

''Draco – ''

''Hermione!'' He turned her around to face her. Her hair was falling all over her face, there was blood on her lips, the night gown was not covering much anymore, he could see her deathly pale skin through it. She was looking up at him, with her deep brown eyes, full of heat and fire. She was begging him to let her go.

''Draco, please, let me jus-''

Before she could finish her sentence, he kissed her.

At first, that was not his plan. He was planning on making the long speech about violence, if it could only calm her down. But the way she looked up at him, like he was her savior, like he had really did something good for her, made his mind go nuts. The kiss tasted like blood. His, or hers, he didn't know and he couldn't care less. It was passionate, as if it was something she had been craving for the past few days: real human contact, to feel loved. It was a wonder she had not run after his attempt at holding her back. She was holding on to him tightly, like a child would hold on to their teddy bear at night. His arms rested around her, holding on to her like she was a fragile porcelain doll. She pulled away first, looking at him straight in the eyes. Before Draco could speak a word, a spell was sent their way, breaking their moment by the same time.

He walked toward Justin and took his wand. That what not his, but it was better than nothing.

''Potter!'' He called catching a glimpse of the boy who lived.

Harry turned to them, his emerald's eyes scanning the room in search of the voice. He spotted Draco first, then Hermione. His relief showed on his face.

''Hermione!'' He ran in his direction. When Potter reached them, he circled Hermione in his arms.

''We need to apparate to St Mungos! '' Hurried Harry supporting Hermione by putting his arm around his waist and putting her other arm around his neck.

''But Harry, what is happening?'' Questioned Hermione with sudden weak knees.

''We are trying to catch the Death Eaters. '' Said Potter.

''Zabini's leading them,'' Interrupted Malfoy. ''I think he still believes in that pureblood supremacy. He must've been the one I was warned about.''

''What about McLaggen?'' Asked Potter. ''We found his body when we arrived.''

People were still rushing around him, but it seemed to Draco that all the aurors were winning on the Death Eathers. Some of them were apparating back to the Ministry, in attempt for the criminals to wait for justice to thrive.

Ronald ran in their direction and hugged Hermione as well.

''Thank Merlin, I seriously thought I'll never see you again 'Mione!'' He gasped holding her tightly.

''Okay Weasley, step back, I'm taking her to St Mungos,'' said Malfoy putting a hand on her shoulder. ''You've got job to do. Find Zabini, and bring him to me.''

Draco didn't wait for either Potter or Weasley to approve, he just took her in his arms, bridal style, and walked in direction of McGonagall's office, where he could floo to the hospital. Hermione put her arms around her savior's neck, her head resting on his chest.

''Thank you,'' she whispered before fainting.

''Granger, Granger stay awake!''He started to run. '' Damn Granger, now _I_ am the one begging!'' When he reached the office, he took a full hand of the green powder and floo directly to St Mungos with a knocked out witch in his arms.


	7. Day 05

''She will physically heal perfectly, except maybe for one or two scars. Within three weeks, she should be out.''

''Thank you, Angelina, we really appreciate it. Is there anything else?'' Asked Harry Potter to George Weasley's wife, the head healer of St Mungos.

''Well... there seem to be a weird pattern on her shoulder...'' She hesitated handing a picture to the wizard. ''But that's not the weirdest thing.''

''What could be any weirder than that?'' Asked Ronald who took the photo from his friend's hands. On it, you could see Hermione's naked shoulder and back, where a bizarre pattern was inked.

''Malfoy has the same, at the exact same spot.'' When I verified any other wound on his extern body, that's the first thing I notice.

''Bloody hell,'' whispered Harry. ''It looks like a rune.''

''That's exactly what it is,'' said Angelina. ''The signification of it would explain why we are unable to detach their hands from one another.''

''Can't believe they are both in a coma and actually holding hands,'' grumbled Ronald in his beard, the icy feeling of jealousy stinging.

''The rune,'' continued Angelina,'' is really ancient. It means _soul_. From what we gathered, Hermione tried a spell months ago and that must come from it.''

''Other than that, what does it do?'' Questionned Harry, ignoring his surprise and Ron's reaction. (''What?! Are you bloody kidding me?!'')

''Well, the spell can only work on a soul mates.''

''NO. THAT'S A HELL TO THE NO. NO WAY.'' Cut Ron angrier than ever.

''Ronald – '' warned Harry with all his patience wearing thin – scratch that – unexistent.

''HARRY YOU MUST SAY SOMETH-'' He was silenced by a charm coming from his friend, and petrified.

''Let. .'' Said Potter, his jaw tightening a little bit more after each word.

''Thank you,'' she flipped the pages of her document. '' So yeah, basically it requires two soul mate to work. It marks them with the rune, and after that, they are bound forever to hear each other's thoughts. Our theory is that Malfoy's soul felt Hermione's drifting away and went searching for it.''

'' **How** _is that even possible_?'' Asked Harry, his jaw dropping to the floor. In the corner of the room, Ronald eye's were moving from left to right, in an attempt to communicate his fury at the thought that Hermione Granger, is long time best friend, was the soul mate of Draco Ferret Malfoy.

''Asks the boy who survived the killing curse,'' responded Angelina in a smirk.

''Point taken.'' he sighed in defeat, ''Okay, but what happens now?''

Angelina looked over at her two patient, sound asleep, their fingers intertwined. If you looked closely enough, you could see strings of light linking the two hands and roaming the hands of the soul mates. The healer sighed, ''We wait for their souls to come back.''

 **XX**

''Granger?'' Asked Draco Malfoy in awe. ''Where are we?'' He asked.

''I-I don't know.''

''Well that's a first.'' He said ironically.

''Oh, shut it, Draco.''

It was an empty space. They were walking in thin air, their environment completely white. Without noticing, they both searched for each other's hands. Intertwining his finger with hers, he lead the way into the emptiness.

''This is strange,'' she whispered. ''I think Harry already spoke to me about this place,'' she continued.

He didn't cut her because he could see she was lost in her thoughts.

''Only, it appeared as King's Cross station to him. With Dumbledore. I think it's a place where souls in need of light come, waiting for something.''

''What, and be precised this time, exactly are we waiting for?''

''Draco, what did you see in the door, when we escaped?''

Her question was so sudden, he stopped walking, still holding her hand. Somehow, it reassured him.

''You saw yourself, didn't you?'' She whispered searching his stormy grey eyes.

He silently nodded.

''I-I believe you are here in search of something, Draco. Something you never had. And you probably hate yourself for it, because you've pushed it away so many times. Maybe that's why...''

''That you're here?'' He finished, unsure. ''Is that why the spell worked? Because you're going to help me find it?''

She nodded slowly. ''It's where light meets dark. The spell needed perfect balance. I needed you, and that you needed me.''

''W-What did you see?'' He asked. He was afraid. What could Hermione Granger possibly feared the most?

''Myself,'' she couldn't lock eyes with him. She was too ashamed. It could have happened so many times during war. ''The thing I fear the most is loneliness, Draco.''

Draco raised their joined hands up to their faces. He opened his hand, and his opened palm slowly collided with Hermione's.

''Maybe you're the strength I've always needed.'' He whispered looking down to her.

He knew that by then, their relationship would never be the same.

''Maybe you're the strength I've always wanted,'' she repeated, meaning it from the bottom of her heart.

 ** _XX_**

''They are awake!'' Yelled Angelina popping into the Burrow. The Weasleys and Harry apparated back to St Mungos.

 ** _XX_**

''So basically, you're saying that McLaggen captured you?''

She nodded. Hermione Granger's room, shared with Malfoy's bed, was full of people curious to know how it had happened.

''I knew it was coming, eventually. It just didn't know when. I had spotted the similarities between my case and Draco's. The girl he abducted, they all looked like me. That's why I wanted to meet him. He only had to know about this. But he must've told Zabini that he had an appointment with me, and that's why I was abducted before I could even have the chance to meet him.''

''How come I never noticed before?'' Muttered Draco to himself, tightening his grip on Hermione's hand, she squeezed his hand back.

''It come to my realisation when he abducted the last one before me. They were all muggleborn or muggle. Harmony, Esmeralda, Rachel, Marianna, Isabelle, Oanna, Nabila and ...''

''Ember,'' finished Draco. ''H.E.R.M.I.O.N.E.''

''Not that I like being selfish or anything, (Draco smiled at the thought of her words. Could Hermione Granger ever be selfish?) but I figured it had something to do with me. So I started my own personal case. Who would want me so badly; they would kidnapped girls looking like me and use them as tools to pretend they were me? It had to be a psychopath.

I first noticed him when he came to work with a cut on his arms, plus a piece of his hair had been pulled off violently. He said it was just a fight in the street he had stopped. But a fight in the street, in the magic world, the wounds would have been different. So he had had to fight physically someone, up close and personal.

McLaggen has been incredibly obsessed with me since Hogwarts. Sometimes he was even following me at work. He just didn't have the courage to ask me out, to face me, and so he forced his way on these girls. One night, I followed him using Harry's invisible cape –

'' I knew it ! I bloody knew it!'' Whispered Harry to himself.

''What I discovered left me disgusted. But I had arrived too late: he had already killed the girl. It was Marianna. That's when I knew I had very little time. A psychopath always needs to accomplish every step of a scheme to feel like they've mastered their crime.

But before I could contact Azkaban, Zabini played an important part. At first, I didn't know it was him. But I knew he had to be an auror because no one stopped McLaggen from kidnapping me – furthermore – everything concerning my case was _erased_ from the ministry's magical data.

He must have manipulated McLaggen into kidnapping me, for real. Zabini would cover him up, even pay for it. McLaggen could do whatever he was pleased to do, on me. It didn't take much persuasion. I knew I couldn't tell anybody.

It seems to have happened within a week or two, but this took a total of 4 months. During that time, I had the time to try the spell. I knew that once I would cast it, there was no turning back. I also knew that Malfoy (she raised their linked hands as proof of his participation in the case) would have to find me, since he was currently working on the psychopath's case.

So I started to prepare a trail of clues he could follow to find me.''

She took a deep breath after her explanation.

''But Hermione, how did you know that casting the spell on Malfoy would actually work? With no me, or Ronald?'' Asked Harry, confused. ''We've known you for the longest!''

''Technically not true, Potter.'' Responded Malfoy.

''Because,'' cut Hermione,'' This couldn't be just fortuity. It was destiny. It was our shot at catching the culprit. The spell needed balance. _Perfect_ balance. And who could possibly hate me more than myself? ''

All eyes turned to Malfoy, the young man slowly turned red under all the attention.

''I don't hate her,'' he grumbled under his breath. ' _'I used to_ , not the same.''

''Why did Zabini killed Cormac?'' Asked Ronald.

Hermione's lips formed a sad smile. Cormac had been a friend during Hogwarts. Now his memory had turned into a murderer, and a rapist.

''I believe it came a time where his conscience couldn't take it anymore. He had murdered, raped and tortured eight women before me, but being with me was probably not what he expected. He must've thought I would fall in love with him, with everything he had done to impress me, killing those women. But I was utterly disgusted. I would bit him, spit on him and I even – er – tried to hurt his ... well, you know... ''

There was a silence followed by a hushed ''ooh''.

''I wish you did.'' Muttered Harry.

''He's gross.'' Responded Ron.

''Not a loss, really.'' Said Ginny.

''Who cares about his genitals anyway.'' Added George.

Hermione's eyes lit up, her friends were being so compassionate.

''So. Moving on.'' She nervously flattened the sheets of her bed, even though they were already perfectly placed. She straightened herself as well. ''I believe that Zabini put him under the Imperio curse to pursue his goal.''

''McLaggen was in Berjow & Beurk when I went to fetch the Map. He was not under the Imperio. He was probably looking for an object to keep him from being under the Imperio. But Zabini came and charmed him. '' He continued, suddenly seeing everything under another angle. ''I found a piece of paper, on my wall of clues. It was telling me to be careful about whom I trusted. It must've have been one of those moments where McLaggen was not cursed. He must've have came during the attack at the Ministry and used it as a distraction to enter my office and make it look like someone was looking was something, whereas he was trying to warn me.''

Hermione nodded in comprehension.

''So...I guess that's it.'' Finished Draco for the witch still holding his hand and himself. He was really uncomfortable in the situation. All Hermione's relative were there – well, she considered the Weasley's her family and her own family were not granted access be in St Mungos – and he was observed like a beast in a circus.

''What are you going to do about the charm, Hermione?'' Asked Ginny wiggling her brows up and down and pointing at Malfoy with her eyes, a mimic the latter caught.

''Well, since both Draco and I – ''

''Can't believe they are on first name basis,'' muttered Ronald, still angry at the thought of Malfoy being Hermione's savior and soul mate. But Ginny elbowed him in the ribs.

''- are connected for what seems to be forever, we decided to experience to limit of this bond. He could be really useful if we were to work together. In order to achieve the maximum of power of the spell, we decided to take a little vacation – on our own.''

Ronald didn't even have to time to protest that his brother, George, silenced him with a spell. Exasperated, Ronald sat in the corner of the room.


	8. Day 07

''Draco, are you all packed?'' Hermione rolled her suitcase in the middle of her apartment's corridor, walking in direction of the front door.

''Yes, I think I have everything. Shall I take your suitcase in the – what is it called again?''

''A car, Malfoy, a car.''

''Is it pulled by any magic creature and the muggle just don't know it?''

''No, it is electric or runs on gas.''

''Oh. So, suitcase in the car?''

''Yes please.''

Draco Malfoy grabbed Hermione's Granger case from her hand and used the moment as an occasion to peck her on the lips. Then, he pulled forward.

''Bloody Hell, Granger! What's in that? ''

''B-''

''Books, of course. Never mind.'' He sighed and continued his task as she giggled happily.

She was following him close behind.

When the young man finally closed the car bag, she smiled.

''Ready?'' He asked.

''Ready,'' she nodded with determination.

It was a new adventure, shared with none other than Draco Malfoy.

* * *

 **And voilà, this is the end! Hope you enjoyed it! xx**


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